It is not required to have a driver's license when you don't have a vehicle but it is your option to have one to be added in your valid ID's.

Right after I received my Student Permit ID, I cannot denied the excitement to upgrade it to Non-Professional License that gives me the privilege to drive alone. Fortunately, just last week I was out from work so I get to have time to process my long dream to upgrade. Join me as how I got my Non-Professional License the anti-fixer way.

Here are the basic FACTs that you should know firsthand before getting your Non-Professional Driver’s License:

Qualifications:
1. Must be at least eighteen (18) years old.
2. Must be physically and mentally fit to operate a vehicle.
3. Must be able to read and write in Filipino or English.

Requirements:
1. Valid Student Permit (at least 1 month and 1 day old)
2. Medical Certificate with Official Receipt (from LTO accredited or Government physician)
3. Must neat, clean and presentable during the visit (strictly no wearing of short and slippers)

I decided to go hard core and applied for my Driver's License. The entire process should take at least 4-5 hours depending on the volume of applications and renewals being handled by the center so I suggest going there early.

Step 1
You should take your medical examinations in any LTO-accredited clinics beforehand and on the same day that you are planning to apply for your license. Some of these medical clinics can be found just across the LTO compound. The medical exam only costs Php 200.00.

Step 2
Fill up the Application for the Driver’s License (ADL) Form then wait for your name to be called.

Step 3
Once your application has been evaluated and checked, you may now proceed to photograph and electronic signature (PHOTOSIG).

Step 4
Wait for your name to be called in cashier and pay Php 167.63 for the evaluation and photosig.

Step 5
After paying the bills, you will asked to go to Lecture Room and prepare for the Written Examination. You can.opt to take the English or the Tagalog reviewer.

The written exams are machine-generated. This means that each examinee has a freshly printed questionnaire with a set of random questions machine-picked from their pool of questions in either English or Tagalog depending on the reviewer that you have used. The answer sheets are also clean and you will not see any pre-circled items on it. Just do your best, relax and take your time, and if you ever forgot what some of the traffic signs are called, it’s alright to check the walls of the testing room since all of the traffic signs are there. You will be seated one seat apart.

You need to get a score of 30 out of 40 to qualify the Non-Professional Driver’s License. If you failed, you will proceed to cashier and pay Php 160.00 for the exam and can only retake after a month. And if you passed, you can now proceed to Practical Examination.

Step 6
If you did well, you will be briefed by the practical examiners. They will give you the basic Do's and Don'ts and some friendly reminders. LTO is encouraging examiners to please bring their own vehicles to avoid paying the car rental fee and to "ensure" that they will pass the practical exam since they are already familiar with the vehicle that they are going to use. Since I don't own a vehicle, I paid a rental fee of Php 250.00 for a manual transmission car. An automatic transmission car is also available for rent at Php 250.00, a motorcycle at Php 150.00, and a mini dump truck which I think costs a bit more.

Step 7
If you passed the Practical Examination, just wait for your name to be called in cashier and pay Php 652.63 for the licensing fee